Chapter Text
“Sozo!”
The brunette boy froze in place, antenna like bangs dancing with the breeze over his face, head lowered. He bit his lip, and waited.
“Either play nice or come sit over here with us boring adults.” Sano warned.
The boy turned and smiled wide at his dad, lightly golden eyes shining, then resumed his run.
Sanosuke dropped back down to his cushion around the table they’d set up outside and sighed.
“They’re still trying to kill me, even now!”
Kenshin and Kaoru laughed, watching their own little boy chasing after Sozo while shouting. It was nice to see the boys getting along, even if Sozo tended to use his height to tease.
“They’re shooting up like bamboo, those boys of yours.” Kaoru mused.
“Tell me about it, keeping them in clothes that fit is a nightmare. And that’s not even counting the ones Sozo just tears through running around.”
“Daddy?” An unsteady, mumbling voice came from inside the Dojo. Yahiko stepped out a moment later with his arm around the owner, a slender boy with dark fluffy hair and warm chocolate eyes. The boy smiled when he saw Sano and rushed over, launching himself off the high walkway knowing that his daddy would catch him, just as he always did. “Daddy!”
“Alright, alright,” Sano laughed as he pulled his son into a hug, then set him back so they could talk man to man. “How are your lessons going, eh? Is shrimpy-sensei any good?”
“Nice!” Ourou crowed.
“Well that’s something then.” Sano chuckled and ruffled his boy’s riotous mane. The little one snuggled against his chest. Always the affectionate one.
“I should hope so! He’s the future of the school, he’d better be good!” Kaoru said firmly, grinning at her disciple before leaning over. “But don’t give him too much praise, Ourou, or his head won’t fit in the room anymore!”
The boy didn’t respond, and Kenshin’s hand on her knee beneath the table made her realize. Her hands flew to her mouth.
“Oh, Sano, I didn’t—”
The fighter waved his hand and gently tapped his son’s shoulder twice. The boy unburied himself and looked up at his dad before turning and blinking at the others at the table, turning slightly to watch their faces.
“Once more, Missy.”
“Ah…don’t praise him too much, okay, Ourou?” She did her best to slow her speech, and move her mouth deliberately. “Or his head will get too big!”
Ourou laughed and looked up at Yahiko over her shoulder, to receive a wink from his teacher. Then he turned back to his dad and hugged him again before getting up and going to find his brother.
“I’m sorry Sano, I forget.”
“The inside doesn’t match the outside. I know. It doesn’t slow him down any, and he doesn’t know the difference.” Sanosuke watched his youngest-well, they were twins, but somehow it had been decided unanimously that Ourou was the youngest-running to catch up, tripping a bit over a rock. As he started to fall he tucked his head and rolled right through it, popping back up with a giggle. “He just forgets to turn out sometimes, and leave his good ear open. We’re working on it.”
“He’s getting better these days,” Yahiko spoke up. “Still not too comfortable with the bokken though.”
“Just don’t let him drop it. He’s too damn scrappy, barehanded.” Even as he said it a wide and prideful smile bloomed over the young dad’s face. “Takes after me, of course.” He made a face. “But we want him to learn proper defense.”
“Leaves a bad taste in your mouth to this day, doesn’t it, Ahou?”
Sano snorted and lifted his head, smirking up at the man who could always sneak up behind him, even in broad daylight, even in that damned uniform.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m just waiting for the day he knocks you on your smug ass.” He snickered. Saitou smirked and looked out over the yard to where the three children were playing.
“If he’s anything like you, Ahou, that day won’t come for ages.” Saitou smirked. “If he’s anything like his father though…”
“Shut it.” Sanosuke stood, bowing his head to the others. “Didn’t realize it was getting that late already.”
“Always good to see you,” Kaoru smiled. “It’s so nice for Kenji to have friends his own age.”
Sano put his fingers to his lips and whistled, loud and shrill, to get both boys attention. All three came loping along, Sozo in the lead. Ourou and Kenji stopped well before the table but Sozo kept running, excitement getting the better of him. Saitou stepped forward and reached out, stopping his impetuous son with a hand to the chest. He let the boy’s momentum carry his legs out from under him, though a swift hand did soften the fall of his head as he hit the dirt. A far gentler fate than the table he would have hit otherwise.
Sozo just looked up at his father with unseeing gold and smiled.
“Father!”
“And would you be the one to buy the Himuras a new table after you’d run right through this one?” Saitou tapped the side of said table with his sheathed sword; his son following the sound and frowning.
“…It’s closer today.”
“All the more proof you didn’t do your proper scouting regimen this morning.” Saitou sighed. “A good swordsman knows his surroundings at all times, Sozo, or he finds himself very quickly cornered on the wrong end of his sword.”
“Yes, Father,” the boy replied, voice serious.
“Good. I expect a positive review when we come to pick you up in a few days. Remember what I’ve told you about angering the Battousai’s wife.” Saitou reached down, but Sozo was already getting back to his feet for himself. Saitou couldn’t help but smile as he turned back towards the others, his sons now both flanking his sides.
“Uh, hello?” Sano raised an eyebrow. “And just when was I going to hear about this sleep over, huh?”
“Ahou, if I told you then what was the point of teaching the children how to keep a surprise?” Saitou smirked. “Or asking for a favor from the Battousai.”
“We’ll take great care of the boys, you two go and have fun!” Kenshin smiled.
“Saitou…”
Saitou took his mate by the hand. “Ahou, this is a heat year.”
“Shiiit…I forgot.” Sanosuke groaned.
They had agreed when Megumi cautioned that Sanosuke could not survive kicking the suppressants completely as they had tried before. There were just too many years built up inside of him. The medicines had stolen Sanosuke’s ability to regulate on a normal cycle. More than that, going without had almost taken his life, and succeeded in costing Sozo his sight and Ourou his hearing. None of them were willing to risk the chance of it happening again. The upside was that Sano got to live his own Alpha way, half of the time anyway. But he still came off of the poisons every other year to allow his body to process and cleanse like an Omega needed. Saitou was responsible for taking medicines to keep Sano from another risky pregnancy. The result was fantastic heat sex, without the risk of losing the mate he couldn’t live without. Not that their bedroom life ever really slowed down to begin with.
It was just so much better when he could hear his mate call out without the risk of scarring the pups.